You Won’t Believe How Much I Spent on Christmas

sterlic/Flickr

I’ve been looking forward to writing this post only because that means I’m DONE with my Christmas shopping. Last year we spent $847.80 on Christmas gifts. This year, I spent a bit less. Family and friends – you know who you are – better not read this if you want to be surprised!!!!

Here’s how much I spent on Christmas

This list includes presents my husband and I bought for both of our families as well as our own children. The total does not include gifts my husband bought for me.

$75 restaurant gift card for my Mom and step-father

$6 for cashmere blend socks for my Mom

$4 for “fancy” nuts for my step-father

$35 for two shirts for my little brother (scored at Marshall’s!)

$22 for a high-quality reusable bag from Omnisax and beauty items for my little sister

$58 on three books and a toy for my nephews

$43 on two gag gifts for my brother-in-law (have to keep up with the family tradition)

$60 for two humor books and special lotion for my sister

$11 on candy and chocolate for my nephews and their parents

$19.50 for a museum pass for my Dad

$0 on three homemade felt ornaments for my sister and her family

$3 on chocolate for my sister and her family

$30 on an infinity scarf for my sister

$7 for socks for my brother-in-law

$50 restaurant gift certificate for my sister and her partner

$25 for a wooden stacking toy for my nephew

$100 to my niece for an upcoming trip abroad

$75 for an Edible Arrangements bouquet for my father-in-law

$10 for a bouncing horse toy for my daughter that I bought at a consignment sale

$80 for a dollhouse with people and furniture for my daughter

$30 Construction dress up outfit for truck-obsessed daughter

$18 Firefighter dress up outfit for my firefighter-obsessed daughter

$6 Mr. Potato Head toy for the girls

$24 for a funny T-shirt for my husband

$1.50 for chocolate bar for my husband

That comes to a total of $793.

But using my clever bargain ways, I lowered that cash outlay by…

Using a Marshall’s gift card that I got with credit card rewards to reduce my total by $64.

I bought the infinity scarf with a Living Social voucher I earned through referrals, saving me $30.

The $10 bouncy horse toy I picked up used at a consignment sale three months ago, so that expense was absorbed into our budget months ago. (They go about $50 new.)

The $80 dollhouse was purchased for last Christmas, but I realized that she was not quite ready for it, so that cost was absorbed into our monthly budget months ago.

After discounts, we spent $587 on Christmas.

Last year, our Christmas spending, after discounts, came to $736.74. We spent 20% less this year, although to be fair, I was planning on buying another present for my husband. So the total may inch back up. But he has said he doesn’t want a big present this year. Maybe I’ll make him something he will never throw out.